Elastic roller and method of manufacturing the same



Sept. 21, 1954 R. G. KUPFER 2,689,395

ELAsTlc ROLLERYAND mamon oF MANUFACTURING ma SAME Filed Hay 16. 1952 i n n n wp *n n N. o n n N ATTORNEYS roller core.

Patented Sept. 212 1954 UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTr OFFICE ELASTIC ROLLER AN METHOD OF MANU- FACTURING THE SAME Reinhold G. Kupfer, Brooklyn, NSY.

Application May 16, 1952-, Serial No. 288,164

(Cl. 2li-129) Y 11 Claims.

. The presen-t invention. relates to elastic rollers useful, for instance, as inl-r` rollers for printing presses, and more particularly to rollers of this character comprising a smooth, cylindrical inking surface formed of elastic thermoplastic material and. to a method of manufacturing such rollers,

Itis presently standard practice to produce ink rollers. having a gelatin-glycerine composition roller body which, due to the glue properties. of the material` used, may be bonded directly to the Suchr materials have numerous, disadvantages, however, such4 as lack of dimensional stability, sensitivity to changes in temperature and humidity and gradual hardening..

These diiculties have been partly overcome by theuse of rollers formed of rubber vulcanized `to the central steel core or shaft. The rubber terial, the thermoplastic.- compounds are not vulcanizable and, consequently, cannot be adhered tometal by means of vuleanizationr For this reason, up to the present, one Vof the Vmosi...serious problemsinvolved in the use of yany suillciently elastic, i thermoplastic material has been to produce a suitable bond between the elastic body portion `of the roller and. the central jsteeleore or shaft. I

jproduce a. .strong permanent bond by thel use of a. helically wrapped. layer oi' a metal. wool., such i as.. the steel Wool,` secured to .the `core of the roller,

the thermoplastic material being. applied over the layer of metal. Wool and penetrating into and fillthe. interstices` thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide an elastic roller, such. as an ink roller for printing presses.. comprising `a metallic central core or shaft, a layer of metal. wool secured. to

`the core, `and a roller body of elastic, thermoplastic material surrounding the core and the metal wool layer, the thermoplastic material penetrating, through and. fill-ing` the interstices of the metal wool layer to form, as an integral part of the elastic roller body, a; metallic liber reinforced,` felt-like layer' adjacent: to the core and @cured thereto.

further objectof my invention is. a method oi producing such an elastic roller which comprises the steps oi' preferably helically wrapping metal Wool, securing the metal wool layer to the core, and forming the roller body around the Wrapped core, for example, by molding or casting methods. f

A feature of the elastic rollers according tothe present invention resides in their inherent ability to withstand the centrifugal forces produced when suoli rollers are used as ink rollers in a high speed printing press, and to endure long and severe use Without loosening of the elastic, thermoplastic rollerY body from the central core. Such thermoplastic rollers have the advantages of being insensitive' to changes in temperature and humidity. Moreover, they have great dimensional stability and can be produced at relatively low cost with a perfectly smooth external surface and with any p desired degree of elasticity which will. not vary the central eore of `the roller with a layer of with age.

Other and further objeetswill become apparent upon. reading the followingspecieation together with the accompanying. drawingA forming a part hereof.

ltefefrring to the drawing:

Figure l is a. side View of a roller core-wrapped with a layer of metal Wool.

Figure 2 is a side view, partially in. section; of an ink rolle-r. ein'bodyirlg the invention.

-llfigure- 3 is an enlarged sectional view4 taken along the lineA 3--3 of Figure l, looking inV the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional4 view taken along the line 4--4 of. Figure 2, looking in the direction. of thearrows. f

Referring to Figure l., the: roller comprises. a central core, or shaft ifi, maderof steel, hav-ing suitably finish-led endA I12A `shaped. `to fit the bearings. or other holding means of the printing press in which the ink roller is to be used. The shait H is shown provided collars I3 having vaxially projecting. lugs I3', the collars I3 serving to prevent axialdisplacement of the core I.-I

.when mounted in. the press., the lugs i3 being provided for engagement with` corresponding notches in driving means for rotating the roller at a particular speed with respect to other elements of the printing press.. ,A

A layer of steel wool I4 is4 shown helicall-y wrapped arotmd the central portion of core II intermediate. the collars i3-, and is permanently lixecfly ysecured theretol byfspot-'welding at a plurality of points F5. If desired,-other fastening means suchas screws threaded into core I I, rivets, or any other reliable securing means maybe used for holding the steel Wool layer I4 in `permanent engagement with the core II'.

Referring to Figure 2, an elastic roller body I 6 of thermoplastic material is shown concentrically formed about the steel wool Wrapped core Il, with the thermoplastic material penetrating through and filling the interstices of the steel Wool layer to form, as an integral part of said elastic roller body, a metallic ber reinforced, feltlike layer adjacent to said core and secured thereto, the external surface ofthe roller` body I6 being smooth, cylindrical and elastic. A roller as shown in Fig. 2 has been found to be eminently suitable for transferring ink froml an ink fountain through the usual series of such rollers to an impression surface of the printing press.

Such roller may, according to one aspect of my invention, be produced by a method which involves the steps of Wrapping the core Il helically with the steel wool I4, securing the steel Wool Wrapping I4 to the core Il by spot-Welding, and thereafter forming the elastic, thermoplastic roller body I6 about the wrapped core, for example, by casting or molding.

As a suitable material for the roller body I6 I may use a Vinylite type thermoplastic such as a polyvinyl compound comprising a di-octyl pthalate or tri-cresyl phosphate plasticizer and a lead stearate, lead phosphate or tribasic lead sulphate stabilizer.

A roller constructed in accordance With my invention will give long and satisfactory service under severe operating conditions such as those encountered in high speed printing presses without the thermoplastic roller body I6 becoming loosened from the Wrapped core II.

I claim:

l. An elastic roller, suitable as an ink roller for a printing press, comprising an elongated, central, metallic core, a layer of metal wool Wrapped in metal-to-metal contact around said core and xedly secured thereto, and a roller body of an elassisting of thermoplastic material surrounding the metal Wool layer and having a smooth, cylindrical, external surface, and integral with said outer layer, a metallic fiber reinforced, inner layerV adjacent to said core and secured thereto, said inner layer being formed by thermoplastic material penetrating through and lling the interstices in said metal YWool layer;

2. A roller according to claim 1, wherein, said core is composed of steel and said Wrapped, metal wool layer consists of steel Wool spot-welded to said core at a plurality of spaced points. i 3; A roller according to claim 1, wherein said 'Y metal Wool layer is helically wrapped around said core.

4. An elastic roller, suitable as an ink roller for a printing press, comprising an elongated, central, metallic core, a layer of metal Wool Wrapped in metal-to-metal contact around said core and xedly secured thereto, and a roller body of an elastic, thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic resin, a plasticizer and a stabilizer, said Y a printing press, comprising an elongated, central,

metalliccore, a layer of metal Wool wrapped in metal-to-metal contact around said core and fixedly secured thereto, and a roller body of an elastic, thermoplastic polyvinyl composition surrounding the core and including a relatively thick outer layer consisting of thermoplastic material surrounding the metal Wool layer and having a smooth, cylindrical external surface and, integral with said outer layer, a metallic fiber reinforced inner layer adjacent to said core and secured thereto, said inner layer being formed by thermoplastic polyvinyl composition penetrating through and filling the interstices in said metal wool layer.

6. An elastic roller comprising an elongated central steel core, a layer of steel Wool Wrapped helically around the core in metal-to-metal contact and spot Welded thereto at a plurality of spaced points, and a roller body of an elastic, thermoplastic material consisting of at least one polyvinyl resin, at least one plasticizer selected from the group consisting of a di-octyl phthalate and tri-cresyl phosphate and at least one stabilizer selected from the group consisting of lead stearate, lead phosphate, and tri-basic lead sulphate, said roller body surrounding the core and including a relatively thick outer layer consisting of thermoplastic materialsurrounding the metal Wool layer and having a smooth, cylindrical external surface and, integral With said outer layer, a metallic fiber reinforced, inner layer adjacent to said core and secured thereto, said inner layer being formed by thermoplastic material penetrating through and filling the interstices in said metal Wool layer.

7. A method of producing an elastic roller, suitable as an ink roller for a printing press, said method comprising the steps of wrapping an elongated metallic core with a layer of metal wool; securing said layer to said core, and molding an elastic, thermoplastic roller body about said Wrapped core, while causing thermoplastic material to penetrate into and fill the interstices in said metal Wool layer so as to form a metallic ber reinforced inner layer secured to the core and integral with a relatively thick outer layer consisting of thermoplastic material surrounding the metal Wool layer and having a smooth cylindrical external surface.

8. The method according to claim 7wherein said metal Wool layer is helically Wrapped about said core. t Y

9. A method of producing an elastic roller, suitable as an ink roller for a printing press, said method comprising the steps of wrapping an elongated steel core with a layer of steel Wool, spotwelding said layer to said core at a plurality of spaced points, and molding an elastic, thermoplastic roller body about said Wrapped core, while causing thermoplastic material to penetrate into and fill the interstices in said metal wool layer so as to form a metallic ber reinforced inner layer secured to the core and integral with a relatively thick outer layer consisting of thermoplastic material surrounding the metal Wool layer and having a smooth cylindrical external surface.

l0. A method of producing an elastic roller, suitable as an ink roller for a printing press, said method comprising the steps of Wrapping an elongated metallic core, comprising with a layer of metal wool, securing said metal wool layer to said core, and molding about said wrapped core an elastic, thermoplastic roller body of a plasticized polyvinyl compound material containing a stabilizer consisting of a compound of lead,`while causing plasticized polyvinyl compound material to penetrate into and ll the interstices in said metal wool layer so as to form a metallic fiber reinforced inner layer secured to the core and integral with a relatively thick outer layer consisting of plasticized polyvinyl compound material surrounding the metal wool layer and having a smooth cylindrical external surface.

11. A method of producing an elastic roller, suitable as an ink roller for a printing press, said method comprising the steps of wrapping an elongated steel core helically with a layer of steel wool spot-welding said steel wool layer to said core at a plurality of spaced points, and molding about said core and steel wool layer an elastic, thermoplastic roller body of a plasticized polyvinyl compound material containing a stabilizer consisting of a compound of lead While causing plasticized polyvinyl compound material to penetrate into and fill the interstices in said metal wool layer so as to form a metallic ber reinforced inner layer secured to the core and integral with a relatively thick outer layer consisting of plasticized polyvinyl compound material surrounding the metal wool layer and having a smooth cylindrical external surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 908,475 Midgley Jan.. 5, 1909 1,227,343 Wale May 22, 1917 1,234,004 Funderburg July 17, 1917 2,278,424 Campbell Apr. 7, 1942 2,542,871 Johnson Feb. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 481,327 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1938 

